Conroy - the ABC should not be weakened simply because commercial media are in trouble
In an address to the Australian Broadcasting Summit on 24 March 2010, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy rejected calls to weaken the ABC and the SBS. He said both national and commercial broadcasters should play strong roles in a healthy media environment.
Senator Conroy continued:
Supporting industry to enable creativity and responsiveness, sustaining Australian content and prioritising the needs of the audience, is at the centre of the Government's approach to media policy.
It is why we have unashamedly thrown our support behind Australia's national broadcasters, the ABC and SBS.
While I recognise that some of you here have concerns about the growth of the ABC in particular, let me repeat that the Rudd Government is absolutely committed to the strength and independence of the ABC, and of SBS.
I do not share the view that the correct response to the pressures facing commercial media is to weaken the national broadcasters.
A healthy and diverse media needs both commercial and national broadcasters to play strong roles, engaging in creative pursuits and fostering competitive tension.
That's why I was delighted that, in the middle of the most significant global economic downturn in 75 years, the Government was able to give the ABC its biggest funding boost since it was incorporated in 1983, and to find new funding for SBS to produce more local content.
This funding increase has already seen the arrival of the long-awaited ABC children's channel, and is being leveraged throughout regional Australia to produce user-generated content and provide online media education to regional communities through the "ABC Open" project.
At the same time, we have moved to significantly overhaul the process of appointing directors to the ABC and SBS boards.
The Government's new merit-based board appointments process has already resulted in the appointment of two outstanding candidates to each of the ABC and SBS boards, and I expect to make a further appointment to each board in the near future.
The full text of his speech is at http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/speeches/2010/004?source=cmailer
